When I was first researching business schools online, Tuck had a member of the Class of ’08 on its website called Louisa Roberts, who mentioned in her profile that she was from Scotland and had organized Tuck’s traditional Burns Supper. “Wow!” I thought. Not only was there a Scottish person in the class (MBAs are not a popular path in my home country) but the school actually celebrates the birthday of Scotland’s national poet. “I need to check this place out!”
Fast forward a couple of years to my Tuck orientation, where I met another fellow Scottish Tuckie, Class of ’06 member Leela Srinivasan, who now works for LinkedIn. She told me that the Tuck Burns Supper had not been organized for the past two years, but that she would be willing to provide some funding for the event’s renaissance. Never one to back off from a challenge, I found some fellow students with Scottish links (including an Englishman whose main link with Scotland is having red hair) who were willing to take on the event planning. Sure enough, Tuck alums came through (don’t they always?!) and Louisa plus a group of T’06s co-ordinated by Leela contributed well over a thousand dollars.
At the start of this month, we held the event and I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the Tuck community for a Scottish celebration. (My brother tried to arrange a similar event at his law firm in Australia this year and received a lukewarm reception.) Either Tuck is a special place where diverse cultures are cherished and lauded, or any excuse for a stiff drink is a good excuse here. I suppose an element of both is true, but either way I was grateful that nearly 250 students, partners, faculty and staff bought tickets!
We had Associate Dean Matt Slaughter give a toast to the lassies while wearing a kilt. T’11 Lindsey Taylor gave a response from the lassies, and T’12 Abdullah Wright (in kilt and crutches with a broken foot!) delivered the most wonderful Address to the Haggis anyone had ever seen. A ceilidh band came up from southern New Hampshire; a piper travelled from Boston; traditional and vegetarian haggis made the trip from Texas and Vermont, respectively. Tuck Grooves (the school’s dance club) learned some Scottish jigs and taught others the dances on the night. Perhaps most importantly of all, Glen Tuck (the school’s Scotch appreciation club) hosted a whisky bar that would have made Ulysses S. Grant proud.
Next year, we’ll be looking for some keen T’13s to take this event to the next level…
Read the full article: Tartan + bagpipes + whisky + haggis